"Based upon information gathered through numerous water-based patrols and aerial review, staff has determined that normal water activities may resume immediately. Additionally, all beaches and beach access in the area are open," a city spokesman said.

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Santa Cruz Fire Chief Jim Frawley said, "The attack on Tuesday gave us all a scare, and thankfully it resulted in no injuries to the kayaker. We greatly appreciate the community’s patience and compliance with the water activity restrictions. In thoroughly combing the area, as recently as this morning, and not witnessing or receiving reports of any subsequent shark activity since Tuesday, we have determined that the public can resume water activities a day earlier than planned.”

Previous story below:

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A great white shark attacked a kayaker who was paddling beyond the kelp bed offshore from Steamer Lane on the westside of Santa Cruz Tuesday.

The City of Santa Cruz ordered everyone to stay out of the ocean for a 1-mile radius of coastline, between the San Lorenzo River mouth and Fair Avenue. The water ban was part of the county's official "Shark Incident Action Plan."

The city ordered all kayak rental shops and surf schools to shutdown until Saturday. Kids in junior guards were restricted to land-based activities.

KSBW / Phil Gomez

Steve Lawson shows where a shark bit his kayak.

The shark attack happened at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

"A seasoned kayaker had his kayak attacked by a large shark about a quarter mile out from Steamer Lane," deputy city manager Scott Collins said.

Steve Lawson felt something jolt his kayak, so he looked down, and saw a great white shark. The shark then attacked his kayak, biting into the front, and Lawson was thrown into the water.

"I saw the shark hanging on the front end of my boat," Lawson told KSBW.

KSBW / Phil Gomez

Shark bite marks

Lawson used his marine radio to alert the harbor patrol that he needed help.

"I spent a little time in the water swimming around. I panicked, everyone panics. There's a shark in the water. But he didn't come back. He wasn't interested in me," Lawson told KSBW.

Lawson said he believes the shark made an honest mistake.

"I never saw the shark again. I'm sure it was a mistake on his part," he said.

Lawson was rescued on a harbor patrol boat and escaped from the water uninjured. A 12-inch-wide bite mark from the shark's mouth was visible on the kayak.

Kelly Brown

Santa Cruz harbor

A Surfline.com livestreaming camera showed more than a dozen surfers catching five-foot waves at Steamer Lane nearby the location of the shark attack. After word spread of the aggressive great white, and firefighters ordered surfers to stay out of the water, the lineup emptied out by 1 p.m.

A jet ski and harbor patrol boat patrolled the area looking for the shark. More than 20 surfers returned to the water at Steamer Lane by 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Surfline.com

Empty lineup at Steamer Lane at 1 p.m. Tuesday

Surfer Jake Wormhoudt said surfers just try to co-exist with sharks.

Another great white shark was spotted on Sunday during the Jack O'Neill memorial paddleout at Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz. A few surfers witnessed a 15-foot shark breach the surface. More than 3,000 surfers were in the water at the time.

The ban's timing was a bummer for westside surfers because the biggest waves in weeks were forecasted to arrive Wednesday morning, according to Surfline.com.

If a surfer or swimmer goes in the water anyway, they will face citations, Collins said.

The ban provided the shark with a "cooling off period," and give city officials time to assess the situation.

"This is a hot spot for sharks, sharks are all up and down the Central Coast. But typically they are not interested in humans. They don't exhibit this predatory behavior," Collins said.

The surfing ban did not receive a warm welcome from Santa Cruz's coldwater surfers.

Westside surfer Darryl “Flea” Virotsko told Surfline.com, "This has never happened since I’ve lived here. I think it’s a little extreme — it should be ‘enter at your own risk.’ Sharks have been there forever, especially outside the kelp line. I think they’re just doing it to scare people. If the Lane’s pumping, I’m gonna surf it.”

Surfer Ken "Skindog" Collins told KSBW, "Surfing is prohibited? You have a higher chance of being attacked by a tweaker than a shark."

Fire Chief Jim Frawley said, "There's plenty of other places in Santa Cruz in the Monterey Bay where you can kayak, where you can surf, where you can go out and enjoy the water."

"Attacks like these are extremely rare in Santa Cruz County, and we are so thankful that the kayaker was uninjured. This is a reminder that swimming in the ocean does carry some risk and we encourage all swimmers, surfers, and kayakers to be mindful of their surroundings and follow directions of lifeguards and Marine Safety staff," Frawley said.

Lawson said he's been kayaking the ocean for 25 years, and nothing like this has ever happened before.

Lawson plans to continue kayaking at sea despite his scary encounter with one of the ocean's top predators.